I am a cancer survivor of nine years (July 11, 2007). Through the process, I have learned to take one day at a time and enjoy each day God gives us.

Monday, July 11, 2011

4 Years Cancer-Free: Thanks to Jesus

In May of 2007, I started experiencing the symptoms of colon cancer. In fact, when I went to my doctor 2 weeks later, I told him that. He found I was losing blood so he put me in the hospital on Memorial Day weekend. A cat-scan showed diverticulitis, so that is what they treated me for until July. I took the doctor's advice and had a colonoscopy on July 5. The next day I was told I had colon cancer, and the rounds of tests began for surgery.

When I was diagnosed with colon cancer, I never asked, "Why me?", like some might. I saw it as another obstacle in life we are handed. We all have them; some are larger than others. That first weekend (I got the diagnosis on Friday.) I was worried. What happens to my son if I die? His father had moved back to his home state without a word five years earlier. There was no way of getting in contact with him. My parents were 76 and 79.

The morning of the surgery, Wednesday the 11th, I woke up in the night to go to the bathroom. As I lay back down, a peace came over me. I had a vision, a picture. It was the only one I've ever had. There was Jesus wearing a white robe on a white horse. He had a spear in one hand. I was behind him, and behind me were faceless people. I knew then that I was going to be ok. That was God reasssuring me because Jesus was leading me into battle, and behind me were prayer warriors: people from my school, my parents, and people from church.

The surgeon biopsied 19 lymph nodes and they were all clear. I was cancer-free. Nevertheless, he said I needed chemo as a precaution. More than a month after surgery, I started chemo. I lost much of my hair, but I survived...Thanks to Jesus.